


Fingertip Memories

by Katflap (Batman_in_Lingerie)



Category: Batman (Comics), Batman - All Media Types, Batman and Robin (Comics), DCU
Genre: Alpha Colin, Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Alpha/Omega, Awkward Romance, First Date, Fluff, M/M, Omega Damian
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-06-22
Updated: 2015-06-22
Packaged: 2018-04-05 15:26:59
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,844
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4185009
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Batman_in_Lingerie/pseuds/Katflap
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Colin and Damian want to take a step in their relationship, and neither is too sure how to go about it.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Fingertip Memories

**Author's Note:**

> Damian and Colin are about 14 in this fic.

Damian sat in the living room, moving around and looking out the window with a growing frequency. Jason and Cassandra stayed with him, chatting amicably as Damian fretted. He needed their presence, their comfort, and after the tenth time Damian got up to walk around aimlessly, Jason stilled him. “It's alright lil D. Everything's going to go fine.” Damian bit his lip at the words and didn't say anything, Cassandra also looked at him, a smile on her lips. There was a knock on the door and Damian lept to answer it, sadly Alfred was closer and opened the door first. 

Colin stood peering from the dark into the warmth of the manor. He didn't enter, opting to stay on the porch looking in. Colin was still getting used to the dynamics of Damian's pack, and didn't want to set a foot wrong with them. Of course they reassured him that short of beating someone up, he was hardly going to offend anybody's sensibilities. Damian met him by the door and Alfred enquired as to what Colin had planned. Colin blushed bright scarlet and mumbled. “I was thinking some dinner?…. I mean if you wanted.” The second part was barely a whisper and meant only for Damian, who himself was starting to go pink in the cheeks. Alfred smiled soft and warm as Damian bid his goodbyes and left the manor. 

When the door closed Damian felt an immediate sense of panic grip him. He looked over at Colin who seemed to be feeling much the same. They had never done this before. The last time they'd been out just the two of them they had been kids, nothing more that scentless beings. Now it was different. Now they were a very flustered alpha and a nervous omega.

Damian had started scenting before Colin, and when he had, Colin had seemed incredibly supportive and unphased by the information. In his head, Damian was still the same person and nothing about him had changed. But then Colin hit puberty as well and his alpha senses awakened. Their usual interactions became tense with an energy neither of them understood. They were taught about it in school, but it was hardly what Damian needed. He understood sex. He didn't understand any of the other stuff.

Thankfully his family weren't as inept and taught Damian more about the caste systems and what it truly meant to be an omega. He was thankful for the support, and having his father telling him what he was feeling was valid and allowed, knowing he knew better than anyone what it meant to me an omega in an alpha’s world. 

Their friendship started to improve after a few months, but as they grew older, Damian felt himself drawn to Colin more and more. He had the closeness with him already, that friendship and sense of familiarity that he couldn't shake away, but there was also something else drawing them together. Bruce had explained it away as his scent, but Damian had smelt other alphas before. He lived with four, he knew what they smelt like. But he never felt what he felt for Colin when he smelt those scents. Colin seemed to feel much the same as he did not even regard Tim as he stepped out of his room, scent unmasked. He glanced over in his direction, perhaps wondering what the sweet smell was, but then he turned back to Damian, giving him his full attention. 

When that attraction became full blown infatuation Damian wasn't aware. He was careful around Colin, trying not to act so stereotypically ‘omega’. He wanted to show interest but either Colin was oblivious, or he wasn't responding out of fear. Jason may have terrified him the first time he entered the house after maturing. If Damian recalled correctly, it had went something like- ‘you touch Damian without his permission and I will rip your fucking head off understand?’ He had said it almost conversationally, and after that, no matter how much the other members of Damian's pack tried to convince him they weren’t all territorial assholes, Colin’s opinion had been coloured and it would take a lot to change it.

Damian's wasn't sure he ever did manage to change it. Colin was still fitful when he was in the manor, but he came regularly, as Bruce had expressed his doubts about the two being out in Gotham at night. Gotham was dangerous and whilst Damian and Colin could both handle themselves, he knew that Damian's warm scent would act like a flame to a moth. So most interaction was done with either a member of the batclan present, or in the manor. 

Eventually Colin asked him out, and when Damian agreed Colin had blushed and in a quiet voice said. ‘I was wondering if it could be like a date. You know… Like a couple?’ Colin had looked at Damian and for a split second Damian didn't understand what was happening. He felt something shift in their relationship, and his mind seemed to be unsure as to what reaction to give. He must have nodded, or said something in terms of agreement, as Colin smiled in relief and that evening they had dinner together, and even though Dick was at a table nearby keeping an eye on them, Damian relished the time. The shift. The fact that Colin liked him. The fact they both felt the same way. 

But even though they felt the same attraction to one another. They still had to overcome Damian's general obtrusiveness and Collin’s overwhelming shyness. From the first date most interaction between the two took a romantic turn, it was slight, barely anything and to most, negligible to determine, but it was there. Colin would reach forward and graze Damian’s hand with his. They would sit next to each other on the couch for long stretches of time which would sometimes result in Damian falling asleep. Most of the time, it would be Damian, leaning forward and kissing Colin on the cheek as he said goodbye, the gesture was small, but Colin seemed to turn beet red whenever it occurred, seemingly unprepared every time it happened.

Damian wanted more, but he wasn't sure what he wanted more of. He mentioned it to his father, this feeling of unfulfillment and Bruce at first took it completely the wrong way, going into a sex talk Damian already knew. When Damian had reiterated, stating it was more an emotional deficit he was experiencing, Bruce had gone pensive, and suggested a private date between the two. Damian was aghast at the idea, he may have mentioned in passing that he didn't enjoy his packs unwavering presence when he and Colin spent time together, but he also needed it. It had become a safety blanket to him. Damian still however agreed and on the weekend his and Colin's first proper date was planned.

The night air felt cool as Damian looked out over the front garden. Colin had ridden his bicycle to the manor and said if Damian didn't mind they could travel into town on it. Damian had given a terse nod and they approached the bike. Colin handed him a helmet and they were riding off. Damian had riden on a motorcycle multiple times, and the loudness of the engine and the sound of wind ripping in his ears made conversation impossible. However they didn't have that reason for not talking. The early evening was calm and quiet and the repetitive hum of the wheels on the asphalt were the only sounds aside from crickets Damian could hear. He had his arms wrapped around Colin and could feel his breath, even and constant. Damian felt his stomach tense and calm as the rode. He was neither as anxious as he had been nor as calm as he should be. He knew Colin wouldn't do anything stupid or reckless. That wasn't Colin. But he still couldn’t shake his unease.

Colin made small talk after a few more quiet minutes of riding, asking things like how Damian’s day was, or if anything interesting happened with his pack. Damian answered how he always did, precise and to the point, whilst also adding a few more words for Colin's sake as just replying with ‘fine’ and ‘it's the same as always’ would just add another layer of uncomfortable to their date. 

They went to one of Damian’s favorite Italian restaurants and Colin asked for a table for two. Their waitress, a young beta watched them with a practiced fondness. Damian could see other couples eating and conversing and felt a small weight lift from his shoulders as he realised he wasn't totally alone. They were shown to a booth and menus were put in front of them.

“What are you thinking of getting?” Colin asked once the waitress had left them, Damian knew what he wanted but still gave the menu a once over.

He looked up at Colin. “The prawn linguine, and probably get some olives to start… You?” 

“The risotto… That's just rice isn't it?” Damian nodded and when the waitress came they confirmed their orders along with their drinks. 

Colin kept adjusting his dress shirt and casting furtive glances around the room, and Damian gave a slight roll of the eyes. “You know if you felt uncomfortable dressing up we could have gone to less high brow establishment, I wouldn't have minded.” 

Taken aback by Damian's forwardness, or perhaps misinterpreting it, Colin spoke. “I just wanted to take you somewhere fancy… You know, treat you how you're supposed to be treated.”

Damian made a face. “How I'm supposed to be treated?” He felt an indignant wave roll over himself at the idea. His father had taught him about caste inequalities and he wasn't about to let Colin pigeon hole him as well.

His resolve faltered. “I just keep screwing everything up…” he said quietly. “I’m not doing any of the right things.” Damian furrowed his brows, Colin responded with a despondent look. “Like, I didn't bring you a gift or anything, well I did, I brought you flowers, but I kinda dropped them on the way…” His eyes opened in realisation. “And on the way here I didn't walk on the outside of you.”

Damian raised a brow. “Where would you get the idea that you needed to do any of that?.” He reached forward and let his hand touch Colin's.

Colin seemed to go beet red, and for a few moments he fidgeted and seemed to go silent in frantic thought. After a minute he sighed as he reached into his coat pocket and pulled out a small red leather bound book. He slid it over to Damian and immediately he too was blushing. On the book read the title. ‘Proper courting: a young Alphas guide for courting an Omega’ and Damian looked at Colin incredulously.

“How did you even get this book?” He reached for it and noticed its age. It was clearly some number of years old and Damian tried to suppress his grimace as he read through the incredibly outdated tips. The one he happened upon was stating ‘be sure to carry bottle of your saliva around to use on your omega should they start to get agitated.’ “Good God Wilkes, you actually read this?” 

Colin averted his stare, but his browns were frowned together in fierce determination. “I know it’s stupid Dami, I didn't, like, take everything in it seriously. I know it's old. But a few of the rules make sense, and if you ignore the really casteist ones, it’s not too bad.” 

Damian sighed and put the book back down. “Colin, you don't need a book telling you how to court me.” 

These words seem to irk Colin further as he fell back into his seat with a heavy sigh. “Dami, i’m not like you! I don't have people to talk to about any of this. The closest I have are the nuns who have sworn themselves to a life of chastity. Like, do you really think I could ask them about this stuff? I have no idea about any of it! It’s confusing and hard and I just want to-” He stopped himself and buried his face in his own hands.

Damian pondered his words as their drinks arrived, the waitress gave them a sympathetic look before leaving. He sipped from his and watched Colin do the same, though decidedly more glumly. Their food came, and they ate. They were quiet and Damian speared a prawn and held it out for Colin, who smiled and took the bite. After that the meal went by less stiffly. He could smell Colin’s stress on him, and he didn't want to exasperate it, so they tried to stay off topics which Damian felt would rile him. They didn't get dessert and when the bill came and was placed in front of Colin he looked at it slightly wide eyed. “Wow.” He said as he went down it. “Uh, I don't-” Before Colin could finish Damian pulled out his wallet and retrieved the money. He put it on the dish as well as a large tip and handed it to the waitress. He received a strange look as he handed it over but he raised an eyebrow, daring her to make a comment. She didn’t and they left. Colin seemed to be in a daze as he walked out onto the street.

“Why don’t we go to park for a bit. It’s a nice night for a walk.” Colin nodded and they walked the short stretch to the park. It was quiet, most people who were there were sitting on the large plains of grass and chatting. Damian reached for Colin's hands and intertwined them as they walked. “Talk to me Colin.” He said more to the night air than to the redhead next to him.

Colin huffed, and said a few words. Attempting to form a sentence, but stopping himself before he got too far. “I just-, well-, it's-...” He seemed to give up and looked at Damian. “I should have paid for dinner.”

“Why.” Damian said blandly.

Colin gave him a look. “You know why.”

He pulled his hand away. “I paid for dinner because I have the money, and if you were to have paid you'd have no money for anything for the rest of the week.” Colin crossed his arms. “Look, I get it, you're trying to act alpha. But believe me Colin, you don't have to.” He reached forward, placing his hand on his arm. “I don’t care about any of that and you shouldn't either.” It hung in the air and it seemed to smother them both in a concept neither was too sure of.

“But how, how do I-”

“You treat me how you did before we matured, before all of that.” He gave a quick look around the park to see if anyone else was near.

Colin frowned. “So we act like friends?” 

Damian sighed. “No. we ‘act’ like equals, but we also kiss and hug, and spend time together.” 

The park was getting cooler now. Though it may have just been from the fact that they were no longer moving, and Damian noticed how cold his hand felt with out Colin holding it. “I- that's it? No like, walking on the outside of you or buying you roses after your periods?” Damian made a mental note to burn the book the first chance he got. 

“No. None of that. Just me and you. That’s it.” Damian could visibly see the change in Colin's posture at the revelation. He stood up straighter and the frown that fogged his features was gone. 

Colin looked at him shyly, glancing around the park before giving Damian a chaste kiss on the lips. It was so sudden and over so quickly Damian didn't know if it had even happened, his only clue being his tingling lips and Colin’s flushed face. Damian smiled and they walked back to where they had parked the bike. The ride home was decidedly less awkward than the one there. The film of anxiousness that seemed to surround them both had been pierced and he noticed Colin laughing and joking as if they were young pups. When they got to the manor Damian felt what had been missing in their relationship, and he could see in Colin that he felt it also. 

They stood on the porch, the light was still on and he knew his family would be awake and questioning when he entered. Colin again stood and the joy he had been exhibiting went cautiously quiet. Damian leant forward and kissed him. This time long, and sweet and Colin wrapped his arms around his neck and held him there. He pulled away, and when he did Colin’s lips seemed to follow. He smiled contently and eyed Damian with barely concealed affection. “Bye Dami.” He said as he walked off the porch and into the night. Damian watched him ride off.

**Author's Note:**

> Hope you enjoyed my lovelies. :)


End file.
